Rotary tooth-brush.



J. c GREEN;

ROTARY TOOTH BRUSH. APPLICATION FILED OCT. I, 1914 LQMJMO, Patented May 1, 1917.

illili ji filil Tffiiidd tilt li lii JOHN C. GREEN, DE BURWEL'L, NEBRASKA.

ROTARY TOOTH-BRUSH.

Application filed fictoher 1, 1914.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1. JOHN (1 Games, a

citizen of the United States of America, re-

siding at Burwell, in the county of Garfield and State of Nebraska. have invented. certain new and useful Improvements in R- tary Toothdirushes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to a rotary tooth brush and has for; its principal obf'iect the production of a tooth brush which is so 7 formed as to allow the brush to freely rotate for producing a vertical motion when brushing the teeth. 7

Another object of this invention is the production of a rotary tooth brush having its frame so formed as to provide an efficient gripping portion whereby the wing member may be easily swung for rotating the brush.

A still further object of this invention is pressed inasmuch as theoperating mechanisms are protected by the wing and grip ping member.

With these and other obgects in view, this invention consists of certain novel co1nbinations, constructions and arrangements of parts as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying d1.-awing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the rotary tooth brush. i

Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section through the device.

I Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrow.

Fig. t is a detailed perspective view of the frame of the tooth brush, showing the spring carried thereby.

Fig. 5 is a transverse section through the brush illustrating the guard member there for. i

Fig. 6 is a detailed perspective view of the operating shaft.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view through a slightly modified form of the de vice illustrating the manner in which the spring may be supported.

reaction of Letters Fatent.

of the Patented May ii, Mitt.

serial no. $64,504.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary top plan view device as shown in 'i'. Referring to the accompanying drawing by numerals, it will be seen that the device con'iprises in general a frame which is. formed of a one-piece structure as clearly shown in Fig. 4'. This frame comprises a gripping portion 1 which is preferably triangular in shape to confornrin shape to the hand of a person when the device is being gripped. This gripping portion 1 has the barrel 2 formed integral thereon and from this barrel there extends the brush guard 3.

The barrel 2 is provided with the longitudinal bore 4-. communicating with the triangular compartment 5 formed within the gripping portion 1 of the frame. This compartment 5 is provided with an open side edge 6 and has one side portion thereof closed by means of the plate 7. It will be seen that when this plate 7 is removed, the compartment 5 will be exposed for facilitating the assembling of the operating portions of the device. This plate 7 is held in a fixed posi" tion upon the gripping portion 1 asclearly shown in Fig. 1 by means of the retaining screws or tacks 8 which pass therethrough and engage the gripping portion. Thus it will be seen that the compartment 5 is en-\ tirely inolosed with the exception of the open portion 6 at one side edge of the frame.

An operating shaft 9 is positioned within the bore -lso as to. extend into the compartment 5. flhis shaft 9 provided with a conical body 10 in which there is formed the threaded opening 1]. This body h) is so positioned to extend into the inner por tion of the brush guard 3 and is adapted to detachably engage the stem 12 of the brush 1?) since the stem 1'2 is threaded into the threaded opening 11. It will be seenthat the brush 13 is guarded upon its rear side by means of the brush guard 3 which is formed so as to fit snugly upon the outer, periphery of the brush as clearly shown in Fig. The opposite end of the shaft extends through the aperture 14: formed; in the grip i ing portion 1 and this aperture 114 communicates with the socket 15. The shaft 9 is provided with a cap 16 fitting within the socket 15 and by means of this rap fitting within the socket l5 and the body 10 being positioned adjacent-the outer end of the bore 4 of the barrel 2, it will be seen that the shaft will be held against longitudinal llll i is more beneficial than the usual horizontal movement inasmuch as an even pressure may be maintained upon all portions of the teeth. It will further be noted that a pinion 17 is carried by the shaft 9 and partially fits within the cut-out portion 18 'lorn'ied within the compartment 5 for the accon'nnodation ot' the pinion.

In order to operate the shaft 9 there is provided a wing 19 which isconcavo-convex in cross-section and has its ear portions 20 formed in parallel spaced relation so as to fit upon either side of the barrel '2 adjacent the gripping portion 1 for allowing the pivot pin 21 to be passed through the ears and through the frame for pivotally mounting the trigger upon the frame. A flat spring 22 is held upon the frame by means of the screw 23 and this spring 22 is formed so as to partially overhang the opening 6 in the compartment 5 and to extend outwardly from the frame. This spring 22 bears upon the inner portion of the wing 19 for normally urging the wing outwardly as is clearly disclosed in Figs. 1 and 2. An 'arc rack bar 24 is provided with laterally extending lips 25 through which the rivets may be passed for fixedly retaining the rack bar in engagement with the wing 19. The free end of this rack bar always remains within the compartment 5 so as to engage the pinion 17 as disclosed in Fig. 3.

It will be noted by carefully referring to Fig. 3 that the plate 7 is placed at a spaced distance from the pinion 17 so as to accommodate the rack bar 24. It will be noted however, that the rack bar will rotate the pinion. 17 as it passes thcreover while it Wlll ride evenly upon the plate '7. In this manner it will be seen that the rarltbar i l Will beheld against lateral or torsional movtment when in operation.

'Wing 19, it will be swung toward the gripping portion 1 so as to close the opening (S ofithe compartment 5 as is disclosed in Figs.

' 2 and 3, in dotted lines. .i'ts the wing '19 is i g 'spon thepimt member :21 it will he i. the rack bar will cause the pinion 1 to rotate the shalt f) and in thls manner rotary moven'ient will be imparted to the brush 123. As soon as the pressure is removcd-t'roin the wing 19 however, the force of the Hat spring 22. will urge the wing out- \vardly and therefore will rotate the shaft and brush in the opposite direction to that.

in which they are originally rotated.

By referring to Figs. 7 and 8 it w ll be seen that the gripping portion 1 13 provided with the barrel 2 through which the 1ft 9 extends. The eompartn'ient 2? in this term of the device is also closed upon its side portions by means of the closure plate 28 having the laterally bent slanting lip 29 ex tending transversely across the gripping portion 1 as clearly shown inFig. S whereby the plate will be firmly held in engagement with the gripping portion, independent of the secondary securing means. The flat spring 22' extends downwardly into the notched portion 30 so that when the sprin 22 is positioned therein it may be retained by means of the pin 31 so as to bear upon the lip 29. By reinforcing the spring by means of the lip 29 it will be seen that when the spring'is swung by means of the Wing member it will bear upon the lip so as to prevent injury to the portion of the gripping member adjacent which the pressure of the spring when being swung takes place. It will of course be seen that by forming the compartment and placing the guard and pinion thereon within the compartment and by forming the wing member so as to be concavo convex in cross section, the wing I member may be swung so as to fit snugly upon or straddle the gripping member while the racl: bar fixedly secured within the wing will rotate the shaft by means of the pinion.

From this construction. it will be seen that any possible injury to the hands of the user is prevented inasmuch as all 01"- he operat- ,'ing elements of the device are efiiciently protected and consequently cannot be touched as the device is operating.

What 1 claim is 1. A rotary tooth brush of the class de scribed comprising a grip port-ion. said grip portion being substantially triangular in shape, a rotary brush supporting shaft passing through said grip portion, a. Wing pivotally {secured to said grip portion, and means carried by said grip portion and cooperating with means upon said rotary brush supporting shaft for rotating said brush supporting shaft as said wing is swung upon said rip portion, said grip portion being broad or toward its rear end. than toward the forward end thereof for resisting the slipping of said grip portion from the hand of an operator while the same is in use.

2. As a. new article of manufacture, a rotary tooth brush con'iprhsing a body body terminating in a. grip nu'tion, said grip portion being gradually enlarged to ward the rear end thereof, wing pivoialiy secure l'lo said body, rotary brush supporting shaft, and means carried by said wing: and ctaiperating with means upon said rotary brush supporting shaft for facilitatin the rotation of said rotary brush supporting shaft as said wing is swung upon Hilll grip portion, said grip portion tons-ti toting means for resisting the slipping of the ame from the hand of the operator while in operation.

I. A rotary tooth brush con'iprisinga body a tin t grip portion .carried by one end of said hody and provided with a sul'istantially V shaped pocket formed therein, said grip portion being widened toward the rear end thereof for producing a sul'istantially triangular shape grip portion, a wing pivotally secured to said body, and means carried by said wing and cooperatii'ig with means upon said rotary brush sup 'iorting shaft for working in said substantially ii-shaped porliet for r tating said rotary brush supporting shaft as said wing is swung upon said grip body.

In testimony whereofl hereunto aflix my 

